Publisher's Description

Freedom. Safety. Love. Miranda vows to reclaim them--for herself, and for her children.

A widow and mother of six, Miranda Hanford leads a quiet, private life. When the pastor of her close-knit church announces his plans to move the entire congregation to another state, Miranda jumps at the opportunity to dissolve ties with Mason Chandler and his controlling method of ruling his flock. But then Mason threatens to unearth secrets from her past, and Miranda feels trapped, terrified shell be unable to protect her children.

College professor Jack Hanford is more than surprised when he gets a call from his estranged sister-in-laws oldest son, Timothy, informing him that Miranda has taken a serious fall and he has been named legal guardian of her children while she recovers. Quickly charmed by Mirandas children, Jack brings some much-needed life into the sheltered household. But his constant challenging of the familys conservative lifestyle makes the recovering mother uneasy and defensivedespite Jacks unnerving appeal.

As Jack tries to make sense of the mysterious Miranda and the secrets she holds so tightly, Masons pressure on her increases. With her emotions stirring and freedom calling, can Miranda find a way to unshackle her family without losing everything?

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Author Bio

Meg Moseley is a Californian at heart although shes lived more than half her life in other states. She formerly wrote human-interest columns for a suburban section of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and home schooled for more than twenty years. Meg enjoys reading books, traveling, gardening, her three grown children, and motorcycle rides with her husband Jon. They make their home in northern Georgia.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Endorsements

"Meg Moseley is the diamond in the haystack youve been looking for. She's a rising star who will have a permanent place on my keeper shelf. In her remarkable debut novel, When Sparrows Fall, Moseley spins a tale of depth, poignancy, and humor. I savored every page and after I turned the last, I simply sat for a while, basking in the aftermath of a story well told." - Deanne Gist, author of Maid to Match and A Bride Most Begrudging

"Meg Moseley has penned a fantastic debut with When Sparrows Fall. It's a story of darkness and light which she masterfully weaves so tightly, the reader can fully understand just how those seeking God can fall victims to the cult-like practices of false prophets. Still, in this thought-provoking, cautionary tale of extremism, Moseley drops in delightful moments of pure joy. Hers is a fresh new voice that readers-like me-should welcome with open arms."
- Allison Pittman, author of Lilies in Moonlight

"Rich, deep, and painfully honest. When Sparrows Fall is a lovely work of fiction that portrays a side to American freedoms that is too real to ignore."
- Cindy Woodsmall, New York Times best-selling author of When the Soul Mends

"With her debut When Sparrows Fall, Meg Moseley writes with passion and daring about a young woman's fight for truth and spiritual freedom providing a brave, new voice in Christian fiction." - River Jordan, author of The Miracle of Mercy Land and Saints in Limbo

"With a crisp, witty style, Meg Moseley pens a poignant story that will take your breath away and surprise you with its depth of heart. A stunning novel."
- C. S. Lakin, author of Someone to Blame

"When a college professor becomes unwitting guardian to a brood of precocious and sheltered home-schoolers, the resulting culture clash is just the tip of the iceberg. Meg Moseley writes with a deft hand, bringing a deep sense of humanity to her struggling, sometimes haunted characters. When Sparrows Fall packs plenty of surprises, not the least of which is the way grace can break out in the most unexpected places and the hardest of hearts." - J. Mark Bertrand, author of Back on Murder

Editorial Reviews

Praise for When Sparrows Fall

"Rich, deep, and painfully honest. When Sparrows Fall is a lovely work of fiction that portrays a side to American freedoms that is too real to ignore."Cindy Woodsmall, New York Times best-selling author of When the Soul Mends

"Meg Moseley is the diamond in the haystack youve been looking for. Shes a rising star who will have a permanent place on my keeper shelf. In her remarkable debut novel, When Sparrows Fall, Moseley spins a tale of depth, poignancy, and humor. I savored every page and after I turned the last, I simply sat for a while, basking in the aftermath of a story well told."Deanne Gist, author of Maid to Match and A Bride Most Begrudging

"Meg Moseley has penned a fantastic debut with When Sparrows Fall. Its a story of darkness and light which she masterfully weaves so tightly, the reader can fully understand just how those seeking God can fall victims to the cult-like practices of false prophets. Still, in this thought-provoking, cautionary tale of extremism, Moseley drops in delightful moments of pure joy. Hers is a fresh new voice that readerslike meshould welcome with open arms."Allison Pittman, author of Lilies in Moonlight

"With her debut When Sparrows Fall, Meg Moseley writes with passion and daring about a young womans fight for truth and spiritual freedom providing a brave, new voice in Christian fiction."River Jordan, author of The Miracle of Mercy Land and Saints in Limbo

"When a college professor becomes unwitting guardian to a brood of precocious and sheltered home-schoolers, the resulting culture clash is just the tip of the iceberg. Meg Moseley writes with a deft hand, bringing a deep sense of humanity to her struggling, sometimes haunted characters. When Sparrows Fall packs plenty of surprises, not the least of which is the way grace can break out in the most unexpected places and the hardest of hearts."J. Mark Bertrand, author of Back on Murder

When Sparrows Fall is a beautiful, character-driven, debut novel by Atlanta author, Meg Moseley. Meg's website description of her novels couldn't be more accurate: "Realism, faith, and a funny streak." Written with humor and poignancy, When Sparrows Fall is the story of a young woman's quest to reclaim freedom and safety, for herself and her children.

Publisher's description

A widow and mother of six, Miranda Hanford leads a quiet, private life. When the pastor of her close-knit church announces his plans to move the entire congregation to another state, Miranda jumps at the opportunity to dissolve ties with Mason Chandler and his controlling brand of "shepherding." But then Mason threatens to unearth secrets only he knows, and Miranda feels trapped, terrified she'll be unable to protect her children.

Professor Jack Hanford is more than surprised when he gets a call from his estranged sister-in-law's oldest son, Timothy, informing him that Miranda has taken a serious fall and he has been named legal guardian of her children while she recovers. Quickly charmed by Miranda's children, Jack brings some much-needed life into the sheltered household. But his constant challenging of the family's conservative lifestyle makes the recovering mother uneasy and defensiveâ€”despite Jack's unnerving appeal.

My thoughts

To put it simply, I loved this book and hated to see it end, because I wanted to spend more time with this engaging family.

Nineteen-year-old Miranda fell in love with a fellow college student, not realizing the severe impact his beliefs would have in her life. While Carl had been a fortress, she hadn't known that "a fortress could be a prison." A widow with six children when the story opens, Miranda is conflicted as she struggles to free herself from the power her pastor holds over his rural congregation. "Sometimes she wasn't even sure she wanted freedom. Freedom wasn't safe."

Jack is a delightful character who is willingly thrust into Miranda's life while she recuperates from a fall. He persistently questions Miranda about the church's beliefs, urging her to search for what the Scriptures actually teach. "Mason's stolen your freedom. Your ability to think for yourself. All in the name of God." His love for the children and concern for Miranda give an urgency to his questioning, yet he exhibits a quiet, gentle strength.

One of the best parts of this book is the children. In a story involving six children, I would normally have a difficult time keeping up with "who's who," but Meg did a wonderful job at fleshing them out so that each child becomes memorable and captures your heart. They are the light in contrast to the darkness of Mason's teachings. It is a joy to watch them open up as Jack exposes them to fiction and other things that most children take for granted - their first visit to Wal-Mart, for instance. Jack proclaims . . .

"Every day's a school day. The world is our classroom. We'll take a field trip." . . . Wal-Mart might as well have been Tiffany's; the children, refugees from a third-world country. Dazzled, they stared at everything - and everyone - and their fellow shoppers stared back.

Meg is a gifted writer who uses her words skillfully. I'm familiar with the area around the northeast Georgia town of Clayton and thought she did a great job at describing the Blue Ridge mountain scenery and creating a sense of place. I particularly liked the scene where she describes how a distant view of mountains and stream made Jack think back to when he had seen a baptism long ago. "The white-robed figures and the voices singing without instruments had made him feel shut out, like a time traveler whose modern mind was too sterile, too barren, to grasp an ancient mystery. The lake could have been the Jordan River, and the preacher could have been John the Baptist."

Spiritual themes are subtly woven throughout this novel, and I felt that Meg showed respect and dignity as she reveals what life is like in a fringe, cult-like rural church. I highly recommend When Sparrows Fall to those who enjoy character-driven, inspirational fiction.

To learn more about Meg and her books, visit megmoseley.com.

I'd like to end with a clip from the last few pages that conveys the essence of When Sparrows Fall . . .

The rain began to fall in earnest again, tapping on the porch roof and filling the air.

Water, water, everywhere. The stuff of miracles. Water, walked on. Turned to wine. An ark tossed about on it.

Water and earth made mud. Mud to heal a blind man's eyes.

Earth to entomb a man, and the voice of God to call him out. . . .

"I'm a sinner, Lord," Jack whispered, "but I'm Your sinner. May I always be in a condition accessible to mercy. So may we all." . . .

Jack leaned his head against Miranda's and tried to take it all in. The children in the rain. The pink petals like snow. The water running like a river, the washing of feet, the holy communion of saints. And every day was Easter.

Her head moved against his cheek as she followed the flight of a handful of sparrows against the dappled sky, their wings edged with light.

Have you ever done something that was worth it to protect your children from those who harm them ? Miranda Hanford , a widow and a mother to six children has lived the past few years in fear for her family and of her children being taken off her by Social Services. She also belongs to a church of sorts that fellowships under Pastor Mason. When allegations strike against Mason , he insists that God is calling him to move their church and he persuades the women of the church to sell their houses and follow him like God's sheep. Miranda though, has no intention of moving and when an accident occurs and she finds herself in hospital - she contacts the one person she can count on - her husband's half-brother Jack Hanford. As Jack arrives, it seems that the Hanford household is about to undergo a hurricane of sorts as Jack's ways and viewpoints are the complete opposite of Miranda and soon we read as Jack introduces the children to the 22nd Century of Frosted Flakes, Dr Seuss and Jeans and Pretty Dresses. When Miranda is released , she finds her household turned upside down and soon her religious views and beliefs are on the fence. Can Miranda find the courage with Jack to leave Mason's Church and start standing up for herself and in the process rediscover what it is like to have freedom and fun :).

Find out in When the Sparrows Fall , a great novel to read by Meg Moseley.

I passed this book up the first time and after reading the reviews on it, I was bummed I had not picked it. When it appeared again, I jumped at the chance to read it and I was not disappointed at all. This is one of those books you read that you just "really like". It was hard to believe this was her first novel and I hope she keeps writing, The storyline deals with Miranda, a widow, with six children to raise by herself. She has a controlling pastor that wants to move the flock (a call by God) to another area and wants the congregation to foot the bill with their land sale. Miranda refuses to sell her land so the pastor threatens her to reveal secrets from her past. The plot thickens when Miranda falls from a cliff and is hurt. Enter her brother-in-law Jack who is a widow also to take care of her kids while she is in the hospital. Miranda named him legal guardian of her children while she recovers. Jack discovers that the kids are so sheltered and brings life and change into the family. The kids had never seen marshmallows!!. Jack can't understand Miranda and her secrets and keeps trying to persuade her to let him help her while falling in love with her. The ending was a surprise and her secret was a surprise also. This is just a joy to read. Thanks to Waterbrook/Multnomah for my free copy to review just for my honest opinion